Rack for umbrellas and other articles.



S. J. COX.

RACK FOR UMBRELLAS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

Patented Jan. 14, '1913.

2 SHBETSSHBET 1.

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH 420.. \vAsmNu'roN, n. c.

S. J. COX.

RACK FOR UMBRELLAS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

APYLTOATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

1,050,519, Patented Jan. 14,1913

2 $HEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT ornion.

STEPHEN J'. COX, OF CRANFORID, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LEON MANN, OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RACK FOR UMBRELLAS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. Cox, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Cranford, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Umbrellasand other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for automatically holding umbrellas,canes and other articles, and its objects are, among others, to producea device of this character of simple, strong and durable constructionand reliable operation, which may be manufactured at a moderate cost,may be varied in external appearance and made attractive and ornamentalto suit the taste of the purchaser and may be made up in various sizesand in a series of any desired number of holders.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a holder embodying theimprovements with a portion of the upper casing broken away to xpose theparts beneath it. Fig. 2 is a front edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1

looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Figs. a, 5 and 6 areviews similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively of a modification.

I am aware that many devices designed for the purpose for which thepresent improvements are intended have been devised, but I believe thatthey are all open to one or more of the objections which the presentimprovements are designed to overcome. Thus, some of the prior devicesare ex tremely complicated and expensive and, therefore, cannot be madeand sold for general use, others are too frail, or it not too frail tooclumsy, while still others are made of so many different and carefullyadjusted parts that they would soon get out of order and become useless.So far as I am aware the strength, simplicity and durability'of thepresent improvements have not been Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1912.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913. Serial no. 694,517.

approached by any of these prior devices, and these qualities reside inthe peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts.

Not only is the present invention designed to fulfil the need that priordevices have failed to fill, but it is adapted to be used for variousother purposes than the holding of canes, umbrellas and the like. Thus,without material change, it may be used to hold whips, billiard cues,tools, and various articles of merchandise displayed for sale or stored,and in this connection will be found a valuable adjunct of the displayWindow and the salesroom.

The spring metal ribbon A is provided with a curved extremity A, theconvex side of which is in the opening C of the casing C, and from thisextremity it is bent in the form of an ogee curve A extending throughthe opening C of the casing, and then curved backwardly again within thecasing to the shank A which extends on a straight line to the back ofthe casing. The ribbon is then bent at substantially right angles to theshank A and extends parallel with the casing until it reaches the studsC and the screw-bolt D where it is bent into a loop passing between thestuds C and around the said screw-bolt D. In this manner the springribbon is securely held in position and prevented from having lateralmove ment. Each of the spring jaws E is composed of two of theprojecting portions A of the ribbon, opposite one another, and theseries of springswhich may be of any desired number is made of onecontinuous strip of ribbon bent and secured in the manner described.

To stiffen the springs and prevent them from having lateral movement orbecoming displaced, as well as for ornamental or other purposes, thecasing C is provided. This consists of a flat top-plate C divided intofingers C projecting slightly beyond the springs and provided with adepending flange C having cutaway portions, which form the opening Cpermitting the opposing springs forming the jaws E to projecttherethrough. There is a depending ortion C running along the back edge0 the plate C and from this at intervals extend (J3 (l date (1* it willhold *h loop .rmly behead, thus pfetween the id plate and its ientinp;both lateral and vertical displace 11 cut.

it will be seen that the rack is made sub stantially in two pieces. onepiece consisting;

e. in assembling the parts it ccessary to invert the casing, place thespring is in position and secure it by mea s of the screw-bolts D, andas the springs may be formed by bending the metal ribbon into the :to mshown and then tempering: it and the casing cast in one piece, as abovestated, a structure of extreme simstrength and durability thus profor aminin'ium of cost. the modification ct 4-, 5 and 6 a ,1," wire usedinstead of a ribbon, i in order to give the spring jaws eater .cy areversed curve B is provided in uh of each spring. The form ott irine'otl' wise substantially the cent that the means for teninp; wire thecasing are vertically l the former or;

... and B- t-endino downwardly and. the latter upwarr These loops a eadapted to recei e 1. if 4. t

screw-bol threaded similar 0 the bolts and o the back of the casing; alug G the case may be.

i an 11 Q pum poi ions or t 1e casino 0. than the similar portions ofthe ii order to accommodate the wire,

the casing; is substantially t also provided with flanges t, with oiening's :lor the reception of "fastening",

means.

It will be observed that with the forin i'neans of screws or othertastcnings ingthrough the loops and and- ..ie holding device thus formedwill be It the casing are dispensed with. .re cas therefore, is not anecessity when the sprii'ie's are made of wire or metal oit othercross-sectional form which can be hen" into the form shown in 4-, 5 and6. 1c casing, however, adds a certain amount of strength and rigidity tothe h older and affords an opportunity for ornamen tation lln operation,an umbrella-tor instanceis forced into the space H by having its handlepressed through the spring; jaws, it vili remain until it is driwn outthrough these jaws. When the handie of the umbrella is forced throughthe jiUX to sui'licient et 'tent to admit its passage mediatcly returnto their normal. s, however, are guaided a strain by the dependinr;flanges C through. the opening C of which they project, and in thismanner they are prevented from being bent out of shape when subjected toextraordinary strain. If desired a bottom plate may be provided for thecasing, but this is not necessary or even desirable in the constructionof holders for ordinary purposes.

It will be understood that the spring" portions may take various formsand that the :netal of which these springportions are may be subdivided,also that other in details or construction may be 1 it claim is:

1, in device of the character described, supporting member having aplurality of a spring member connected ortii o member by means of studsand held againsttree v heme passed between two of d pins or s uds andaround one of them so s to year the sides thereof, said i Q n emlixeralso having; a plurality of 1 l JOEhlORS extending away from said pinsor studs and turned toward one another t a sprint: f'aw which is heldagainst 0. i except to the extent permitted by the resiliency of themetal. by the said pins of the hind described, a suphaving; a pluralityof spaced J studs, each set comprising three pins, and a spring memberhaving,

for each set, portions passing between two of t we airs an d around thethird, one of said i i, beine i of them, said sprin between two of thepins her being provided With spring 100p por- 1912, at the city of NewYork, in the county tions, each loop portion having a part 0pand Stateof New York. posed to a correspondlng part of the ad- STEPHEN J. COX.aCent- 100p whereby each loop cooperates 5 with the adjacent loop oneach side, as and Witnesses:

for the purpose stated. E. WV. SOHERR, J 1'., Witness my hand this 22ndday of April MARY H. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

